
At Dying Matters, we believe that conversations start in communities. We all know that the difficult bit is getting the conversation started – and that’s why, through our new Community Grants Programme, we are looking for new and creative ways to spark those important conversations in communities across the UK. Application for this year's programme are now closed, and we will be in contact with applicants as soon as we can.
From photography to performance art; installations to an invitation to passers-by to share their story of grief – whatever your idea, we want to hear from you.

Who can apply and how much for?
Applications for this year's grants programme closed on 21st February. We'd like to thank everyone who applied - we have been blown away by the number and quality of the applications. We are now reviewing all the applications and will be in touch with both successful and unsuccessful applicants around the end of March.
We hope to run the grants programme again in 2023. It's clear that there is a huge appetite and enthusiasm to use the arts to open up conversations with different communities across the UK about death and grief.
Our grants are aimed at community-led arts and culture projects, with a focus on equality and inclusion, and which approach the subject of dying in an innovative or creative way. We look for activities which take place in communities, outside of formal healthcare settings, which help make it easier for people to talk about death and dying.
We look forward to announcing the winning applications and supporting a set of brilliant projects through 2022, all kindly supported by Dignity Funerals.
How do I know this is for my organisation?
Check out our FAQs below to see if the programme is the right one for you and your organisation.
Want a few ideas of the kinds of things that these grants can fund? Here are a few – but don’t worry if you have another idea, these are just some suggestions.
An installation in a public place that people can add to as they go by; a spoken word workshop with a young person’s group; a theatre production; a photography exhibition; a roving installation; composing a song or sketch with a group; crafting or puppet making with young people or children with disabilities; a piece of dance or drama responding to Dying Matters themes; a literary reading or library workshop; a comedy workshop or performance addressing Dying Matters themes; community based street art or mosaic project; an audience generated interactive compilation of poetry or photography; outdoor performing arts workshop or performance;
This list is not exhaustive so if you don’t see anything like your project, then don’t worry. If you have any further questions, then email info@hospiceuk.org with the subject line ‘Dying Matters Community Grants Programme’
FAQs
Got a question about our grants programme? Check out our FAQs.
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Eligible organisations will need ot be based in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
You will be eligible to apply if you are:
- A registered charity, a Charitable Incorporate Organisation (CIO) or Community Interest Company (CIC)
- Can commit to providing a statement of use of funds, relevant monitoring and evaluation feedback, and communications and campaigns collateral (photos, video, etc)
- Based in the UK
- Can demonstrate how you will reach defined groups who are less likely to be reached by hospice care and the Dying Matters campaign (see below for more details)
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The grants are available as follows:
- Small workshop grants up to £999
- Project grants between £1,000 and £5,000
You can apply for the amount that you need for your project. Larger grants would enable larger scale community projects such as a theatre production, photography exhibition or community mural. Smaller grants would enable and encourage smaller organisations to apply to run smaller scale workshop activities, such as one-off workshops of poetry, singing or art.
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There is no right or wrong, but it’s worth saying that we have a particular focus on community-led arts and culture engagement projects that reach new and diverse audiences, with a particular focus on inequalities.
We want to see how you are reaching defined groups that are less likely to be reached by hospice care and the Dying Matters campaign. We will also be interested in looking at how you approach the subject of death in an innovative and culturally relevant way.
Example projects could be:
- Art or photography installation / exhibition with audience participation, interaction, or feedback
- Theatre production / dance / comedy act / musical / concert addressing Dying Matters core themes
- A collectively produced film or series of films
- Community based mural, street art or mosaic project
- An audience interactive online book of poetry/prose/photography
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Projects or programmes should finish by the end of 2022.
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Hospice UK's research has shown that certain groups are less likely to benefit from hospice care. By extension, we know that certain communities are less likely to be reached by the Dying Matters campaign, and more generally, are less likely to engage in positive conversations about death and dying.
As part of our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, we therefore require that grant applications demonstrate how they will reach one of the following groups, as identified in Hospice UK's recent report on equality of access on equality in end of life care.
- Ethnic minorities
- People experiencing homelessness
- Imprisoned people
- LGBT+ people
- People living in remote and rural areas
- People living in poverty, deprivation and with lower socioeconomic status
- People living with learning disabilities
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Unfortunately we are not able to fund the following:
- Sponsorship or fundraising events, promotional videos or films
- Projects that have started before April 2022 (though if you ran a clearly identified pilot phase before this date, you're not precluded from making an application to develop it further)
- Groups operating overseas
- Hospices
- Individuals
- Already well established activities on death and dying such as Death Cafes or workshops on Advance Care Planning (as these activities are already common)
- Activities taking place in formal healthcare settings
If you are an individual artist and are interested in this grants programme, share this with local community arts and culture groups indicating that you’d be available to work with them.
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Hospices up and down the country already put on a huge number of brilliant activities as part of Dying Matters, and to encourage conversations about death and dying. Hospice UK also has an established set of grants programmes to fund innovation and improvement in hospice care.
As Hospice UK and Dying Matters, we don't want to replicate what hospices are already doing in their communities and are particularly keen to engage the arts and culture sector in our mission, so have taken the decision to restrict this particular fund to those groups.
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The applications will be assessed against the eligibility criteria and shortlisted, those shortlisted may be asked to submit additional information to support their application. If further information is required, a member of the programme staff will request it.
During the second stage all shortlisted applications will be considered by the Dying Matters Grants Panel, led by Dying Matters chair, Simon Blake OBE, along with others with expertise in community engagement and equality, diversity and inclusion work.
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Applications are open from November 2021 until 21 February 2022.
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You will find out if your application was successful by the 31 March 2022.
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As a condition of your grant, you will be required to send us a final impact report at the end of the grant funded period of your project. You will be asked for further information about what you have achieved and what impact the work has had on the subject of death in an innovative and culturally relevant way through arts and culture. We will send you a template form nearer the time for you to complete.
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Dignity Funerals is a long-term supporter of the Dying Matters campaign, and has made a donation to fund this Community Grants Programme. Although helping to make these grants happen through their funding, Dignity Funerals is not involved in shortlisting or decision-making when it comes to allocating our grants. All shortlisted applications will be considered by the Dying Matters Grants Panel, led by Dying Matters chair, Simon Blake OBE, along with others with expertise in community engagement and equality, diversity and inclusion work.
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If you are based in Scotland, visit our sister organisation, Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief who run their own grants programmes for organisations and communities.
If you have any further questions, then email info@hospiceuk.org with the subject line ‘Dying Matters Community Grants Programme’.